Romney Watch
What is wacky Mitt Romney up to? 2010 * April 19, 2010: Romney endorses Mario Rubio over Charlie Crist for the Rublican nomiantion for U.S. Senate. Romney is not from Florida and nothing in common with most Floridians but still felt free to instruct Christ to do the right thing by either staying in the race as a Republican (and those losing to Rubio) or dropping out (not running as a independent). Romney rightly fears winning the Republican nomination for president in 2012 but having Sarah Palin run as an independent. * February 19, 2010: After boarding a plane from Vancouver to Los Angeles, Romney was involved in an altercation with the rapper Sky Blu of LMFAO. According to Sky Blu, the Republican grabbed him in a Vulcan Grip. 2009 * June 14, 2009: Speaking on ABC's "This Week" Romney condemns Pres. Barack Obama's conciliatory approach to Iran as "entirely wrong-headed" and "not working." The eruption of massive post-election protests against Mahmoud Admadinejad would argue otherwise. Source * June 2, 2009: Speaking to the Hertiage Foundation, Romney condemns Barack Obama's successful visit to the Egypt as a "tour of apology" and warned about the threat of Islamic jihadists "dragging the entire world back into a medieval dictatorship ruled by mullahs and ayatollahs." So in Romney's cockeyed version of history the entire world was at one time ruled as a medieval dictatorship of mullahs and ayatollahs? Granted, part of the world was, but all of it? Wasn't some of the world ruled by priests, patriarchs and popes etc? 2008 * Romney loses the Republican race for the Republican nomination for President. He cannot win because the masses of Evangelical Protestant voters who vote Republican primary elections find his religious beliefs unacceptable. The one time Episcopalian and later Baptist John McCain wins the nomatation and loese the general election. 2007 * August 12, 2007: After spending $2-3 million Romney "wins" an Ames Iowa, Republican straw poll with 4,516 votes (out of 14,000), or 31.5 percent. Mike Huckabee spends a fraction of the amount Romney did to win 2,587 votes, or 18.1 percent. Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback was third with 2,192 votes, 15.3 percent. Giuliani receives 183 votes and McCain 101 votes. Source: n.a. "Romney Wins Straw Poll; McCain Campaigned in N.H." Associated Press. August 12, 2007. News Report * August 8, 2007: Asked by a woman at an Ask Mitt meeting in Bettendorf, Iowa why none of his five sons was in military service, Romney replied, "“It’s remarkable how we can show our support for our nation, and one of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected, because they think I’d be a great president. My son, Josh, bought the family Winnebago and has visited 99 counties, most of them with his three kids and his wife. And I respect that and respect all of those in the way they serve this great country.” Source: "Questions About Romney’s Sons and Military Service." The New York Times. August 8, 2007. Romney later refutiated the equivalence. * August 5, 2007: Desperate to define himself as "normal" despite the obvious, Romney attacks Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama, saying, "He's gone from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in one week." Source: Eric Krol. "Romney Takes Aim At Obama." Chicago Daily Herald. August 6, 2007. News Report * July 25, 2007: Romney attacks leading Democratic rivals: : "I don't think Hillary Clinton could get elected president of France with her platform. France is moving toward us." : I'm convinced that America is going to change course and the question is which way it is going to go: Are we going to take a sharp left turn represented by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and John Edwards, or are we going to march forth with the American values that have always helped us be the strongest nation on earth. And I believe we'll do the latter." : Source: Glen Johnson. "Romney Lashes Out at Democratic Rivals." Associated Press. July 25, 2007. News Report With the second comment Romney reveals a volunteerist belief, or perhaps just a willingness to claim, that patriotic or nationalist values result in military and economic power. * June 27, 2007: In a long, biographical article, Romney admitted that he strapped his family's dog into a rooftop carrier for a 12 hour car trip. Source:Journeys of a Shared Life, by Neil Swidey and Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe, June 27, 2007). * June 25, 2007: Asked why he was putting more money in (to his campaign), Romney responds: “Because I have to, all right? My message is important and critical to get out into this country.” Source: With fundraising apprently drying up, Romney writes himself a check. * June 17, 2007 - On Guantanamo prison - "I've been there, it's a fine prison facility." "We don't want them having the kinds of legal rights associated with being on US soil." (Source: Iowa Independent blog, by John Deeth). Again on June 23, 2007 he states that “Guantanamo is a symbol of our resolve.” Source: 2008: Gitmo Gets More Attention, The Caucus blog of the New York Times, June 23, 2007 * June 7, 2007: Romney calls for privatizing Social Security: (Romney backs personal retirement accounts, Manchester Union Leader, June 7, 2007). * June 6, 2007: During a Republican Presidential debate, Romney claimed that Saddam Hussein had not allowed international weapons inspectors to search inside Iraq. (Source: Salon.com). * May 19, 2007: At a fundraiser in Atlanta, Romney gestured to Ralph Reed and said, “Why it’s good to see Gary Bauer here.” (Source: Thanks for coming, Mr. Bauer. Or whoever you are., Atlanta Journal Constitution, May 19, 2007.) * May 13, 2007: Romney says that he "deplores" the polygamy practiced by his Mormon ancestors and denies that he and his wife Ann violated the Mormon rule against premarital sex. Why would he even answer such a question in an interview? * May 6, 2007: Romney states that, "In France, for instance, I'm told that marriage is now frequently contracted in seven-year terms where either party may move on when their term is up. How shallow and how different from the Europe of the past.", while giving the graduation speech at Pat Robertson's Regent University. * April 30-May 1: PBS Frontline/American Experience broadcasts new two part series The Mormons * April 29, 2007: Mitt Romney answers Fox News interviewer's question about "his favorite novel with Battlefield Earth," a science fiction novel written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. * April 26, 2007 - Catching Osama Bin Laden not worth it - "It's not worth moving heaven and earth spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person," (Source:AP Interview) * April 6, 2007: Romney claims to be a lifelong hunter; however, officials in the four states where he has lived have no record that he ever held a hunting license. (Source:News Report) A Romney aide later admitted that Romney had been hunting only twice in his life, once at age 15 and once in 2006. News Report * April 2, 2007: Although still in the single digits in public opinion polls Romney rakes in a whopping $21 million in campaign contributions in the first three months of 2007. Poor old war hero McCain has double digit support in the public opinion polls but his fundraising lags behind that of Romney. The wealthy are voting in the money primary and their choice is Mitt Romney. * March 20, 2007: Public revelation that John Rakolta, co-chair of Romney's presidential campaign finance committee, had contributed funds to Voice the Vote, which purchased an campaign attack ad in the Michigan Chronicle associating Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm with Adolph Hitler. News Report * March 9, 2007: In a Miami speech to Cuban-Americans, Romney accuses Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez of stealing rhetoric: "Hugo Chávez has tried to steal an inspiring phrase--''Patria o muerte, venceremos''," claimed Romney. "It does not belong to him. It belongs to a free Cuba." Actually the phrase belongs to Fidel Castro. This gaff was not well received by the audience. News Report * February 21, 2007: Romney campaign runs its first televison ads, in Iowa. His 60-second spots describe promote him as a "business legend" who "rescued the Olympics" and "turned around a Democratic state." * February 17, 2007: Almost hysterical, bellicose comments made during interview with George Stephanopoulos. * February 13, 2007: Romney formally announces his candidacy. * January 9, 2007: Associated Press reports that South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint sends letter to South Carolina Republicans endorsing Romney. Source: Jim Davenport. "DeMint Endorses Romney for President." Associated Press. January 9, 2007. Las Vegas Sun * January 3, 2007: Romney establishes an "exploratory committee" to raise money for his nomination bid. Among the important financial backers are billionaire Utah philanthropist Jon Huntsman Sr., and his brother, David Huntsman. Source: Deseret News Curiously, the ruling class Hunstman family is split in its selection of Republican candidates for President. Romney's opponent John McCain is supported by Utah's Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. as well as by Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.